Cheburashka and Gena, Little Johnny, Petka and Chapaev, mother-in-law, quarrelsome wife, husband who unexpectedly returned from a business trip - none of the last decades in Russia has passed without humor over these characters and, probably, will not pass.
How it all began
Initially, the concept of anecdote came from Byzantium and meant "something unpublished", something that cannot be written about. The first jokes were more like gossip and rumors. Over time, stories about outstanding and famous people began to be called that. Only rich, intelligent and well-read people - aristocrats of those times could convey such stories beautifully and interestingly. Over the course of life, jokes have lost their grace, telling them in high society has become bad form, but among the common people they have taken root, finding not only new heroes, but also a "strong" word to give zest and completeness to the story.
The secret of the popularity of heroes of jokes
It is very difficult to answer unequivocally who is the most popular hero in the genre of anecdote. Often the main characters are statesmen and politicians. This is due to the general interest in these controversial persons. The anecdotes usually accurately spot the characteristics of the leaders. For example, Lenin was portrayed as a small, burly man, with the characteristic word "my friend". A change of leader in the country, especially if he is popular with the people, very quickly gives rise to new anecdotes expressing all those emotions and impressions that sometimes cannot be said openly, out loud. The character's flaws are inflated exponentially.
Neither Lenin, nor Stalin, nor other leaders became mega-popular heroes of folk jokes.
Only real heroes from the people can become recognized and loved. Characters whose traits are collective, albeit a little exaggerated. Such as the:
Mother-in-law is the response of women to the relationship between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. Since almost everyone has or had a mother-in-law, the image of this angry, grumpy woman will not go into the shadows, but will change under the influence of time.
Traffic cop. The profession obliges this person to be strict and principled, honest and impartial. But reality differs from the ideal, what kind of Russian does not like to drive fast - that is the attitude towards the character - stupid, greedy, spineless. What is not a reason to play a joke and at least so express a kind of protest against arbitrariness on the roads.
And, of course, Little Johnny. Little Johnny amazes with his attitude to life, his cynicism is shocking, but this, probably, is the strength of his longevity. Over time, only the environment in which this hero lives changes. He himself does not grow up.
There are no jokes about the big Vova and will never be. Therefore, I want to believe that he left all his harmfulness in childhood.
Why is the Chukchi so popular? There is no answer to this question. After the release of the film "The Chief of Chukotka", where the word "however," was first heard, a wave of popularity passed, and barbs addressed to the Chukchi rolled across the country on its crest. He is like a younger brother, over whom you can kindly play a trick.
